Can Do, But Should He?

Well, the big news in Queensland over the last few days has been the appointment of the Brisbane Lord Mayor, self-appointed ‘Can Do’ Campbell Newman, as Leader of the Parliamentary LNP, or Leader of the Queensland Opposition.

Thing is, he isn’t even in Parliament. He hasn’t been elected as a Member of Parliament representing an Electorate. Or as Leader of the Opposition by the LNP members in the House for that matter. As Robert Menzies once said, ‘Queensland is different’. But in this case, it’s downright weird.

As I’ve mentioned in a previous post, Queensland politics was looking pretty mundane and boring at the end of last year. The Bligh Labour Government was in for an absolute shellacking and it was largely assumed nothing could save them. But then along came the floods and Cyclone Yasi. Natural disasters of biblical proportions that changed everything. Bligh handled herself extremely well and led the State through one of its darkest times. Comeback Anna was back in the game.

This development obviously spooked the LNP and caused all sorts of second-guessing amongst them. They had thought they’d just have to cruise to the next election and win it in a canter due to the level of anger toward Anna and Labour.

Alas, the first set of meaningful polls that came out after the natural disasters showed the LNP and former Leader Langbroek could struggle the win the next election and it would no longer be able to rest on its laurels. Panic stations it was. The small target approach would not be enough now. It had to do something. Anything.

And so we now have Newman anointed the Leader of the Opposition Outside the House (whatever that means) while also holding his other job as Lord Mayor of Brisbane. One of the strangest things I’ve ever heard of and quite the political risk as well.

For first of all he needs to be preselected by local LNP members for his designated seat of Ashgrove. Then he needs to win that seat from a current Minister, the popular and up and coming Kate Jones. Then he has to convince the Queensland electorate that he’s decision is not merely an ego trip and that’s he’s taken this course to actually help and promote the State. And then he must hope that the LNP win the election so that he can become Premier. And only then will he give up the Lord Mayoral ceremonial robes.

Yep, a massive risk because I must say it’s hard to not see it as a massive ego trip and a cynical farce that undermines our parliamentary democracy. I admire the taking of the risk though, as there’s a hell of a lot to lose for both Newman and the LNP but a hell of lot to gain as well. I also like the fact that it’s another complete game changer for Queensland politics and we’re in for quite a ride over the next 12 months before an election must be called.

Some of the media interviews have been pretty grating though. Last night, I watched Newman on the ABC trying to promote his whole-of-State credentials by talking up visits and holidays to places like Charleville, Cairns and Gladstone.

Yeah mate, you’re a real man of the people out west and up north. Watch him put on the RMs and the Akubra and chew on a piece of straw while bemoaning those city slickers in Brisbane. Those same city slickers that elected him as Boss Man City Slicker in the last two council elections.

There was another piece of the interview that went straight to the hypocrisy involved. Again, in trying to ingratiate himself with electors outside of Brisbane, he was criticising the Bligh Govt for being too south east Queensland centric and for ignoring regional and rural centres.

Thing is, he’s been arguing for the last seven years as the Brisbane Lord Mayor that the Bligh Government should be doing more for south east Queensland and diverting funding to the major population centres such as Brisbane. I just shook my head at the blatant double-standard. The duplicity of politics hey?

That’s not too say the Bligh Government doesn’t have their own credibility issues. Asset sales, Queensland Health payroll, cost of living pressures just to name a few. Not to mention plenty of baggage from all white elephant water infrastructure left over from the rush to beat the drought.

Which brings us to the next election. I’m sure the strategists in the Labour Party are working overtime at the moment as they try and work out whether to go early or go late in response to this latest development. The Premier has always said she’ll serve a full term but just yesterday that had changed to ‘I can’t rule anything in or out at this stage’.

I’m thinking she might go early as she’ll have plenty of ammunition to fire at Newman – he’s running away from the people of Brisbane in their time of need after the devastating floods; its all about his ego in presuming he’ll win a seat and then win over the people of Queensland; the LNP is so dysfunctional that it had to resort to appointing a Leader from outside its parliamentary ranks.

She can also counter the argument about serving a full term by saying the natural disasters have changed everything and the government of the day needs a mandate to get on with the recovery job and rebuild Queensland.

Then again, strategically, I reckon she should hold off from calling the election. The longer the farce of having a Leader Outside the House goes on the stranger it looks and feels. Waiting 8-12 months will also highlight the absurdity of Newman not relinquishing his Lord Mayor position and cause quite a bit of angst for the LNP in terms of what to do there with its upcoming election.

But hey, I’m no political operative tasked with ensuring the re-election of the Labour Party. So I’d put my money on an early poll as the arguments and messages above will probably prove too tempting. Not all bad news for me though if they do go early. I could really do with a good caretaker mode at the moment.

Now, where’s my boarding pass?

EDM.